Self-made pipes are instrumental in debut album
Ground-breaking bagpiper, fiddler, instrument maker and composer Malin Lewis is set to release their eagerly anticipated debut piping album Halocline in May.
Inspired by the captivating sounds of the bagpipe growing up in Moidart and Skye, the release date is Friday May 3 on Hudson Records.
From the influence of folk traditions and piping competitions in their upbringing, to the transformative experience of an exchange at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki during their time at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, each of Malin’s encounters and connections has made a mark on this new piece of work.
Malin began creating their own instruments in their teens, starting with simple experiments of drilling holes in sticks and inserting chanter reeds.
Aged 15 they discovered the innovative Lindsay System Chanter, a two-octave 3D printed smallpipe.
Enthralled by the instrument’s possibilities, Malin collaborated with its inventor Donald Lindsay to create the world’s first wooden version of the instrument.
With its distinct voice and character, this chanter became central to Malin’s creative process, shaping their musical identity and inspiring experimentation on various instruments, as showcased throughout their debut album.
With a unique blend of west coast piping traditions and inventive, self-made instruments, Malin showcases a fusion of sound.
Drawing its name from the halocline, a visible layer of water formed between saltwater and freshwater, the body of work symbolises Malin’s existence as a trans person in a space of inspiration and individuality between a binary.
The album features a steller line-up of musicians, including Luc McNally on bouzouki, guitar and electric guitar, Cammy Maxwell on double bass and synth, Maija Kauhanen on kantele and vocals, Matthew Herd on saxophone, Michael Owers on brass, Stuart Brown on percussion, and Sally Simpson on fiddle.
Malin said: “Creating an entire album that is based on the sound of my own handcrafted pipes feels very special. There is something intrinsic about performing and composing with an instrument which you have made and been with for every part of the process. Just as I have navigated my gender, crafting a unique instrument mirrors the process of forging my own path in music.
“My gender and music have always been intertwined; music is my form of self-expression. From childhood, I envisioned sounds that conveyed the joy, intrigue and queerness of the world; Halocline offers a glimpse into this lifelong pursuit of expression.”
Since graduating from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Malin has performed across the globe with a range of esteemed musicians, including Ali Hutton, Ross Ainslie, Shona Mooney, Jenn Butterworth and Finlay MacDonald at festivals including Celtic Connections, Piping Live!, Celtic Colours and Edinburgh Tradfest.
In addition to their live music career, Malin released their first book of original music in 2021 and was a winner of the ‘In tune with Nature’ composing competition run by Nature Scot and Fèis Rois.
Am extensive tour is on the way across Scotland and England throughout spring and summer this year, stopping at venues from An Lanntair on the Isle of Lewis down to Pound Arts in Corsham.
Halocline will be available digitally, on CD, black LP and limited edition blue LP from May 3 and is available to pre-order now at hudsonrecords.ffm.to/halocline&source=gmail&ust=1710413551697000&usg=AOvVaw0Is-sREznmU-Mc3GKiXg9D">hudsonrecords.ffm.to/
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